Electric switch.



. J. K. LUX.

ELECTRIC SWITGH.

LPPLIUATIOI mum an as. 19001 994,853. Patented June 13,1911.

JULIUS K. LUX, on ST. Louis, missooar;

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1911.

Application filed May 28, 1900. Serial No. 18,049.

Toallwhom 'itma/ycmwern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS K. LUX, a citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Louis in the State of Missouri, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full and clear de scri tion.

y invention relates particularly to that type of circuit controller known as a snap opening and closing knife switch, and the invention has for its objects; firstly, to provide a free and easy action of the. rocking contact by eliminating all tendency of Sue contact to bind in its journal, such binding being heretofore due to the unevenlydistributed strain or eifort of the actuating means [on this contact; secondl to provide a mount or hearing for the rocking contact such that the latter ma be guided by and maintained at all times against an'outbear'ing or surface,

whereby its true alinement is always assured thirdly, to'provide a mount or bearing for the movable and actuatin parts such that these parts balance each 01: er on either side of a common bearin late and for this reason, and becauseo t e use of the opp'osite faces of such plate as reversely disposed flat side hearings to maintain free action in the journals and true alinement of the parts when in action.

Other objects. of my invention will appear hereinafter.

The first object of my invention I accomplish by discarding the single giece yielding actuator commonly in use, an in its stea substituting a compound or multiplex actuator, part of which I dispose on either side of the bearing plate in which the working contact is journaled. In this manner the oifort or strain on each end of the contact journal may be balanced or equalized, and

binding tendency inthe journal thus eliminated.

' The'second and third objects of my invention-I effect in conjunction with the first by so shaping the bearing plate and disposing in piece and its operating partson another th movable contact on one side of the bear-. sie thereof and against it, that the plate formsside bearings for the movable parts,

and the latter by reason of the disposition and the balanced effort of the yielding actuator maintain free and easy action along such side. bearings.

embodying my invention as seen looking in the direction of the arrow 1 in Fig. 3, parts being broken away to economize space. Fig.

2, is a side elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 2, in Fig. 3. Fig. 3, 1s a top plan view as seen looking in the direction of the arrow 3, in Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a view of the movablcfiutact G. Fig. 5, 1s a view of the termin l B. Fig. 6, is a view analogous to Fi 1, parts being broken away to show more c early the arrangement of the axes.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A is a support or base of any suitable material at one point oi which a fixed contact C, is mounted and at another point of which is attached" the bearing plate D. It will be noted that the plate D consists in part of an upright portion, one face of which is in alinement with the fixed contact C. Pivotally journaled on the bearin plate D at an inner point thereof and on 51c face thereof in alinement with contact 0, is the rocking contact G. The plate D by reason of the fact that the contact G is maintained against the same, and is pivoted atan inner point thereof serves as a flatside bearing or guid ing surface for the contact G, whereby the latter is always maintained in true alinement with its cooperating fixed contact.

In the present embodiment of my invention I have shown mounted on the journal F in loose relation thereto the contact G, but on the reverse side of the bearing plate D. in fixed relation to the journal, the lever F", w'hich is part of the contact-operating means and, may be termed the energizer, through the operation of which the yielding contact actuator is placed under tension or caused to store its actuating energy. This energizer F, is likewise positioned against the bearing plate I), and the face of thelatter when the parts are in motion serves-as a flat side bearing for ,the ener mm The en ergizer and rocking contact ing mounted at reverse sides of the bearing plate D, and in contact therewith, the moving parts naturally tend to maintain true alinement,

whereby tendency of the axis or journal to bind in the, plate is obviated and a true and free movement secured. p Mounted on' the energizer F, 'I have inchcated in the present embodiment of my invention spur gear K, in turn meshing with a segmental gear L, carried by the 0 e'rating handle E. By pivoting the hande E on the plate D, as at N, and by the use of the gears aforesaid, a movement is obtained by which the handle and rocking contact always have the same direction of rotation, the movement of the handle being limited to about a quarter turn by limiting stops or shoulders D and D on the plate D. There are other advantages to such an arrangement but such need not herein be enumerated as they have no necessary relation to the invention herein claimed.

The contact actuator or yielding means by which the snap opening'and closing movements are obtained, are thesprings J, J.

,. anced or equalized or eitherside of the bearing of the rocking contact on the plate D. f Such balanced effect prevents the journalof 7 this feature in connection with the reversely the rocking contact from being tipped and thereby caused ,to bind in its bearing. And

" disposed flat bearings for the movable parts provides a movement in which true ali'nement and easy action are assured.

In operation, assuming the switch to be in position indicated in Fig. 2, to open the same, the handle E, is moved clockwise. The rack L, of the latter engaging the gear K, on the energizer F, causes the latter to move in the slot D in the opposite direction, to that in which the handle moves, thereby putting the actuating springs J, J

under tension. As the movement of the free end of F, carries the springs-near the dead center the supplementary actuator M, engages an extension M on the movable contact G, urges the pins G G past the.

dead center and positively disengages the cooperative contacts irrespective of the power' of the springs. The outer end of F, having moved through arequisite distance or until .the effort of the s ring is past its dead cen-,

ter, the contact is snapped open. The closing operation is the reverse, the actuator M-eng'aging the rocking contact positively urges the latter by the dead centerrof the movement, whereupon the yielding actuator means J, J being in the meantime placed under tension act to snap the switch colsedf The-improved arrangement of the parts tion.

F and JJ' which produces the herein desd'ibedjdifierent powers, ismade possible in this device by causingthe said parts to move about axes which are independent of the axis of the operating handle 'and actuator. By this new arrangement my combined improvements are applied to this form of device so as to produce the new and improved results described. Less angular movement of the operating handle than of the operative connections of the yielding actuating means is obtained. The specific arrangement of the axis of the energizing. 'nieans F, together with the balanced arrangement of the yielding actuating means; the like direction of movement of the handle, actuator; and movable contact, which in a knife-switch is essential to efiiclency; the direction of movement of the energizing means F relatively to that of the operating handle and actuator; the loose connection between the latter parts and the movable contact; the positive action of the actuator together with the snap action of the movable contact unretarded by the handle; are obtained in combination by means of the said separate arrangements of the axes.

N, indicates a yielding conductor, having, one end connected with the terminal B, and

the other end connected with the movable contact. The said yielding means-N is coiled so as to form a volute spiral; the outer end is connected with the movable contact in any suitable manner, as with the pins G. The inner end of the said coiled spring is secured to the terminal B in any suitable manner. The said terminal B is provided with abinding screw B to hold a conductor B in posi- The contact G. .travels to and fro through the arc of a one quarter circle more from stress at the middle of the said are, the resistance offered bythe said means to the free movement of the movable contact will then equal the stress developed by about a one-eighth revolutionv of the said connection. That portionof the yielding means N which is connected with the movable contact is more yielding than is that portion which is connected with the terminal B. 'This tends to reduce the retarding or hindering influence of the part' N to the'minimum; The yielding means N serves the purpose of a fixed contact without opposing or hindering the circuit closingpowerof the yielding actuating means in the same measvfe as would equivalent fixed .contacts of v1th sforms 'or less, and if the yielding means N be free heretofore usual in snap closing qire con,

trolling devices.

The circuit connections are through the conductor B to the terminal plate B, thence through. the conductor N, to the-contact G,

and when the circuit isclosed, out through the stationary contact 0, and a conductor C, attached thereto by a lnding screw C.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is g 1. In an electric knife switch, a bearing plate, a rockin contact and a rock arm coaxial therewit ,said contact and rock arm having independentrotary sliding engagement with Opposite faces of the bearing plate, springs connecting the rock arm and contact at opposite sides of said bearing plate, and means for rocking said arm to shift the springs across and to opposite sides of the axis of the contact to open and close the contact with a quick snap action.

2. In an electric knife switch a bearing iplate, a rocking contact and a rock arm coaxial therewith, said contact and rock arm having independent rotary sliding engagement with opposite faces of the bearing; plate, springs connecting the rock arm and contact at op osite sides of said bearing plate, means or rocking said arm to shift" the springs across and to opposite sides of the axis of the contact to open and close the contact with a quick snap action, said means including a lever fnlcrumed at one side of the axis of the contact, having a supplementary actuating device engaging the contact to positively move it from its extreme positions.

3. In an electric knife switch, a bearing plate, a rocking contact and a rock arm coaxial therewith, said contact and rock arm having independent rotary sliding engage- -ment with opposite faces of the bearing plate, springs connecting the rock arm and contact at opposite sides of said bearing plate, a rocking operating lever and means actuated thereby for moving the rock arm in areverse direction from the lever, springs connecting the rock arm and contact and actuated across the axis of the contact by said rock arm to open and close the contact with a quick snap action, and supplementary means on the lever for engaging and starting the contact from its extreme positions in the same direction as the movement of the lever,

JULIUS K. LUX. ,IVitnesses:

C. D. GREENER, STEPHEN \VM. HIRsoHBEnG. 

